Grampians National Park Park

Address: Grampians National Park (Gariwerd), Halls Gap VIC 3381, Australia

Website: https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/places-to-see/parks/grampians-national-park

Hours: Park open 24 hours; Visitor Centres typically 9am-5pm (seasonal).

Admission: Parks entry free; some sites (Brambuk Visitor Centre) may charge for exhibitions or guided walks (A$8-15).

Grampians National Park, also known by its Aboriginal name Gariwerd, is a protected mountain range and national park in western Victoria, Australia covering a large area of rugged sandstone ranges and valleys. It is a major regional natural attraction noted for its escarpments, rock formations and cultural heritage.

The park is visited for bushwalking, rock climbing, wildlife viewing and to see Aboriginal rock art panels. Key natural highlights include steep sandstone escarpments, lookouts such as The Balconies and Reeds Lookout, numerous waterfalls including MacKenzie Falls, and peaks like Mount William at 1,167 metres.

The area contains many Aboriginal cultural sites and rock paintings that attest to thousands of years of Indigenous presence, and the park supports a range of walking tracks from short walks to multi-day treks. Visitor services are concentrated around the town of Halls Gap, which serves as the main base for access and accommodation.

The Grampians sit inland in western Victoria; the park is roughly 250-300 km west-northwest of Melbourne and occupies a mix of steep ranges, valleys and open forest in the Wimmera and Grampians region.

• Aboriginal heritage: The park contains extensive Aboriginal rock-art sites and cultural places with evidence of occupancy stretching back thousands of years.
• Highest point: The highest summit, Mount William, reaches 1,167 metres and several established walking tracks lead from Halls Gap to major lookouts and waterfalls.

What to See#

• Mount William: A peak at 1,167 metres above sea level that is the highest point in the park and offers walking routes to a summit lookout with panoramic views over the ranges.
• MacKenzie Falls: A large, scenic waterfall accessible by walking tracks; one of the park’s best-known water features and a common day-walk destination.
• Lookouts and rock platforms: Clifftop sandstone platforms and lookouts such as The Balconies and Reeds Lookout that provide wide views across the valley and are popular sunrise and sunset viewpoints.
• Halls Gap: The town of Halls Gap, the main visitor service centre and gateway for walking, climbing and accommodation within the park.

By car: The park is about 3.5 hours west of Melbourne via the Western and Western Highway (A8). Halls Gap is the main village inside the park. By public transport: V/Line coaches run from Melbourne to Ararat and Horsham with connecting services or private shuttles to Halls Gap; check seasonal services. Once in Halls Gap, many trails and lookouts are within a short drive.

• Arrive early for the Pinnacle and Boroka Lookout to avoid coach crowds and to catch morning light.
• Use the Grampians (Gariwerd) Visitor Centre at Halls Gap for up-to-date track conditions and aboriginal‑led tours.
• Permits are required for certain backcountry activities and for some commercial photography - check Parks Victoria before planning multi‑day hikes.